It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Florenceem

Only spent £3.15 since Monday - the start of my week re shopping money - bought milk and orange juice. We ate at the SA two days and yesterday was too tired to eat much - had bacon/sausages in a roll while at the sale. I have so much food in stock - tonight's dinner is from the freezer - still hardly any space in them - we hav an upright and a small chest one.
Re Christmas dinner - we have volunteered to work at our SA all day so will eat there after we have served all our guests.

threepenny_bit

Did a thorough check in pantry, cupboards and  freezers and made a list this time! We are going to daughters for Christmas but trying to not spend on anything except milk and fresh bits till then. I am going to go back to making a meal plan too as we have so many odds and ends. 
Cost of food here is appalling and I need to be better at using stuff up and not wasting anything  
Am also going to have to learn how to utilize the air fryer for more than chips, battered fish etc. 
I have set a very low budget for food for the next few weeks as I know I need more for when we are away at daughters over christmas time.

-taff

@Florenceem OHs mum and stepdad did that a few times at a local Polish church, they were absolutely cream crackered afterwards, couldn't even be bothered to cook, I think they had beans on toast for Christmas dinner...{I did invite them round but they said only if they were up to it...obviously they weren't, poor things}

Re Christmas pud and cake - I never liked them when I was younger but as I've got older I have a thing about Christmas pud with lashing of white rum sauce, much nicer than custard. That's also why I made my own this year, I love it with plenty of nuts but sainsburys aren't doing the one they used to and no one else's looks nutty enough...However, I'll split one pud with OHs stepdad and save the other for next year. And I didn't even think of cheese with the cake so a nice strong crunchy cheddar will  be on the cards.

Pollycat

Toonie said:

I do make follow some of my mum's traditions though, so I will make a bundt cake at Christmas and cover it in melted chocolate and sprinkle on some icing sugar, and I'll get some lebkuchen for a treat.

I'd not heard of these until someone on the OS charity shop thread mentioned them.
The moulds are fabulous.

QueenJess

Toonie said:

I do make follow some of my mum's traditions though, so I will make a bundt cake at Christmas and cover it in melted chocolate and sprinkle on some icing sugar, and I'll get some lebkuchen for a treat.

Ooh - I was gifted a bundt mould, so I will definitely be stealing that idea!

Longwalker

Oh Im in two minds

Christmas cake isnt on the menu any more. Mum used to make a huge one every year, mostly for her husband. I love Christmas cake, but dont like Icing and marzipan any more and Mr L hates fruit cake. So we usually make do with a box of mince pies - funnily Mr L likes those lol

However we had a farm shop up the road and her Christmas puddings are winning gold awards everywhere and Im so tempted to buy one. Id have skipped dinner to have Christmas pudding with brandy butter and extra thick cream piled high on top

Now I know Id be dying of heartburn and have the squits for days  if I attempted it

YoungBlueEyes

A bit of cheese will cure your heartburn - tuck in! 

zcrat41

Gregg's used to do a Christmas slab with no marzipan. Was a cracking seller. Don't know if they still do it 

RobM99

zcrat41 said:

Gregg's used to do a Christmas slab with no marzipan. Was a cracking seller. Don't know if they still do it 

Well, it would be at this time of year!

Rosa_Damascena

Mince pies - my favourite!
Panettone - a very close second.
Christmas cake - totally delicious. Can do without the icing though.
Stollen - scrumptious. The more fruit, nuts and goodies the better.
Marzipan - I can eat it in tiny squares.
Custard - bring it on, as long as it's not eggy. Hot custard with cold single cream on top is a particular delight.
Christmas pud - can take it but am equally happy to leave it.
Lebkuchen - nasty. Gingerbread and chocolate do not mix in my opinion. 
Advocaat - just gross  . Surprisingly I loved a lemonade snowball as a child.